“Bluetooth,” which is a type of short range wireless communication protocol, establishes a connection between two devices through multiple profiles (i.e. Multi-Profiles). Such multi-profiles established situation may also arise when a host Bluetooth device communicates with each multiple devices, such as HFP type devices and AVP type devices (i.e., Point to Multi-Points).
In patent document JP-A-2008-278172 (US2008/0280655A1), an operation scheme of an in-vehicle apparatus is disclosed. Specifically, when a cellular phone is equipped with portable functions, such as a music player, the in-vehicle apparatus establishes a hands-free profile (HFP) connection with the cellular phone, and then asks a user whether the additional portable function of the cellular phone should be registered. If the user requests registration of the portable function the in-vehicle apparatus establishes the proper connection profile to the cellular phone. For example, for portable function of playing music, the in vehicle apparatus would establish an audio video profile (AVP) connection to the cellular phone.
Further, in patent document JP-A-2007-281652, an operation scheme of an in-vehicle apparatus is disclosed, in which, after an establishment of an HFP connection between the in-vehicle apparatus and a cellular phone, it is determined whether the cellular phone is capable of handling multiple profiles by serially determining (a) whether it is possible to establish a dial-up networking profile (DUN) link therebetween, and (b) whether it is possible to establish an AVP connection therebetween.
In the above-described situation, after the connection of an HFP type device prior to an AVP type device, a connection establishment process to connect a data communication type profile other than an AVP is performed in a prioritized manner. As a result, the connection of the AVP type device by the AVP of Bluetooth is postponed until after the connection establishment of the data communication type profile, and the start of music playback by the AVP connection is delayed. In other words, contrary to a user's expectation that music playback should be immediately started by, for example, the Bluetooth (AVP) connection to a music player (i.e., either of a music-playable cellular phone or a portable device dedicated for music playback) after getting into the vehicle, the music playback through the Bluetooth (AVP) connection takes a long time before starting.